title: Effect of trace amounts of polyacrylamide (PAM) on long-term performance of activated sludge.
abstract: This study aims at evaluating the impacts of PAM addition on activated sludge performance. Four lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), each with a working volume of 3L, were investigated with different PAM concentrations. Experiments were conducted with varying organic loading rate and the sludge volume index (SVI), particle size, zeta potential, specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), COD and ammonium removal efficiency were monitored over a 105-day period. The results showed that all of the PAM addition not only improved the removal efficiencies of COD and ammonium, but also exhibited some advantages on sludge performance. It was found that the sludge performance of settling property, flocculation and microbial activity increased with increasing concentration of PAM. However, high level of PAM (1mg/L) led to the formation of large amounts of loose-structure flocs, which eliminated dissolved oxygen transfer and caused the sludge disintegration, resulting in bad settleability and lower microbial activity. In this way, when the dosage of PAM was 0.1mg/L, the sludge had the best settling property and activity.
authors.affiliation: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuan-ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhao-hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zheng-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ling-jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guang-ming
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Li-ke
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012722:Sewage; D000099166:Polyacrylamides